Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Refusal To Breast Feed

Refusal To Breast Feed

Sometimes, a baby that is breast fed may suddenlydecide to refuse breast feeding. The baby willpull away from the breast, then toss his head fromside to side. This can happen at anytime, so therereally is no way to predict it happening.

Reasons whyRefusal to feed from the breast could occur when thebaby is in pain. Normally, this can be due to anear infection, sore head from vacuum delivery, thrush in the baby's mouth, or teething.

The use of dummies, teats or nipple shields may alsocontribute to refusal. Some babies actually find it difficult to feed from the breast and bottle asthe sucking action is very different. Some becomeconfused, therefore it's always best to avoid usingany type of teats or dummies.

Sometimes, the milk just takes bitter. This canbe due to antibiotics, if you starting or in the middle of your period, or nipple creams. If themilk tastes bitter, your baby will normally not want to feed.

Solving the problemsFirst, you should always try to identify what mayhave caused the breast refusal then begin to treatthe cause. Always remain patient and gentle withyour baby. Be sure to hold your baby next to you,skin to skin, so that he can take the breast whenhe wants to, so that he begins to realize that breast feeding is both enjoyable and comfortable.

Older babies may suddenly take shorter and fewerbreast feeds, although this can be normal withsome babies. Therefore, it's always best not totry and make the baby feed longer, but instead letthe baby decide how often and also how long eachindividual feeding will last.